Kansas cowboy had dying wish: to see his horse one last time
A Wichita cowboy was able to get his dying wish of seeing his 27-year-old horse, Vic, who will also be an honorary pallbearer at his funeral.
Kevin Adkins, 55, died Tuesday at his sister’s home in west Wichita surrounded by family. He had been moved there the day before, after surgeons determined his cancer was too prevalent. As one of his final wishes, Adkins wanted to see Vic, whom he visited daily before becoming too sick.
Adkins’ daughter, 26-year-old Delaney Adkins and the owners of the D & J Ranch, where Adkins boarded his American quarter horse, were able to make the wish come true. Kevin was able to feed his horse from his gurney.
“Yea I love your fur, buddy,” Delaney remembers her father saying after pulling himself up to kiss Vic.
Jennifer Wadley, a longtime family friend and owner of D & J Ranch, videotaped Vic and Kevin seeing each other for the last time. Wadley said Vic had been depressed and standing alone at the ranch the past few weeks that Kevin couldn’t visit.
“I think he knew,” Wadley said about Vic seeing Kevin for the last time. “I think what was so moving was watching Kevin with his horse. He lived for his horse. It was very moving.”
Wadley described Kevin as having a “George Strait look.” He wore starched Wrangler jeans, long-sleeve button-up shirts, custom boots with spurs and a custom hat from Shorty’s Hattery in Oklahoma City. Then there were the belt buckles.
His favorite was from being the champion bull rider in 1992 at the PKD Arena, which was in the Wichita area, Delaney said.
“On his dying days he let me know the most important to him was his PKD,” Delaney said.
Delaney, a 26-year-old nurse, was able to spend a few special moments with her dad in his final weeks. The two planned a trip to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas before the cancer came back in the summer.
“It’s like the Super Bowl (for) cowboys,” Delaney said about the December event. “I could tell he was hurting, but he cowboyed up and we made some great memories together.”
Delaney was also baptized at Via Christi St. Francis in front of her dad Monday morning. He held the cup of water while a pastor baptized Delaney.
Delaney said she felt a sense of peace Sunday night and wanted to do the baptism in front of her father. It was a way they could share a special moment in life to make up for the other times that would be lost.
“As a little girl you always think about your dad walking you down the aisle and always having that first dance with your dad,” Delaney said, crying.
Delaney said visitors were coming to her aunt’s home Monday night and leaving in tears.
“Cowboys don’t cry is a real thing and I have seen a lot of cowboys cry over the last few days,” Delaney said. “The rodeo cowboy, cowgirl (community) is really hurting right now.”
A service is scheduled for the lifelong carpenter on Feb. 15 at the Prairie Trail Cowboy Church in Haysville, where Kevin was a member. The church is built to allow horses inside, Delaney said.
Vic, she said, will be up front with her. The horse will be saddled up with Kevin’s boots reversed in the stirrups.
A Kevin B. Adkins Cowboy Relief Fund has been set up to honor Kevin and help other struggling families in the rodeo community. Donations can be sent to P.O. Box 416 in Valley Center, KS 67147. Checks can be made payable to Delaney Adkins.
Delaney said she will use her best judgment in awarding the funds.
“Any cowboy family or rodeo family down the road that is having trouble, that Dad is speaking to me about to help that family,” Delaney said.
This story was originally published January 30, 2020 at 2:42 PM.